Improvement in fire-escapes



ZShe'ets-Sheetl. A. K LND ERM-AN N. FIRE-ESCAIPE.v No.183,5'02. Patented Oct. Z4, 1876.

Jaymz.

NJEIZKS, lIOTD-LITHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. (IA

ZSheeis-Sheet Z.

A. KINDERMANN..

FIRE-ESCJLZPE.l

Patented Oct. 24. v18'76.

N4 PETERS, FNOTOL\THOGRPHER. WASHK-NGTUM D C.

-for transportation.

- UNITED S'rn'rns PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST KINDERMANN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT lN FIRE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l83502,dated October 24, 1876; application filed September 13,1876. I

A To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST KINDERMANN,

of Cleveland, in vthe county of Cuyahoga and -State of Ohio, have invented certain new and it appertains to make land use the same, reference being had to the accompanying-drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specication.

The object of my invention is to provide a fire-escape that is reliable and safe, simple in its construction, not liable to get out of order, that can be easily manipulated and transported from place to place, and can be arranged and carried to its intended destination in a compact manner.

The invention consists of an extension-ladder of uniform width its entire length, that is operated by racks and pinions, windlasses, &c., and it is arranged in a box or receptacle, so as to make it steadierby bringing. it closer to the ground. It also consistsy of a series of spring-pawls or pivoted spring-levers, with hooked ends, which engage with holes in T- shaped guide bars or rails, and are arranged on the upper ends of the sections to hold them securely in position. 1t also consists in securing to the lower ends of the extensionpieces suitable metal caps or sheathing provided with hooks or eyes, to which chains are attached from one length to the other, and which form braces to assist in the support of the extension pieces or sections. The platform is furthermore provided with suitable hooks, to secure it to the windows or roofs of sliding bar with springs, by which the inclination of the extension pieces or sections can be regulated to suit different localities, all of which will be more fully described in the specification.

In the accompanying, drawing, Figure l is a plan view of my fire-escape. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on line m a: of Fig. I, ready Fig. 3 is a vertical crosssection, showing the extension -ladders extended or raised, ready for use. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the end of the extension-ladders, showing the spring-pawls, 8vo.

In the drawing, A is a platform, having aA receptacle or box, B, arranged as low as possible, and mounted on the usual running-gear used for such apparatus, the front wheels ar.

a T-rail, b, which is secured to the next or second section D, and slides freely in said groove. This section D, as also the third one, whichl also has a T-rail, b, fitting into a correspond' ing groove, are provided on their outer sides with a rack or toothed plate, G G', into which the pinions c e on the cross-shafts f f mesh. These shafts are squared on their outer pro-l jecting ends to receive a crank-handle, g, by which they are operated. On the upper ends of each of the sections are arranged the pivotedrlevers or pawl h, having hooked ends,

which t into holes or apertures h in the T- rails b, and are forced into them by springsiz bearing against the levers, so that the sectios are rmlylocked in position when the holes h1 come opposite the hooked ends of the spring-levers. The lower ends of the sections are incased' in metal caps or sheathings, secured firmly to them, and each is provided with stout hooks or eyes r' for the reception of 'the ends of a-chain or chains, S, (best seen in Fig. 3,) which form braces for-the sections, especially if in an elevated position, and the lengths are exactly the same lengths as the sections when the spring-levers are in position. rJhe uppermost section, after having been placed in the horizontal position, is also secured at its outer end by a chain, k. This upper section F is divided, and about onefourth of it provided with a-T-rail to hold it to lsection E, in which it slides. rlhe outer end of section F is hinged to the short section F', and the adjoining ends are mitered, so that when the outer section is in a horizontal position it rests on the mitered or beveled end of F. The section F is also provided with -a trap-door, H,(shownopen in Fig. 3,) which is i supportedV by recesses in the` frameof the sec; tion, and by a central meta-l bar,1l, wfhiclilv ter#` niinates in an eye or bend for the reception of a small sheave or pulley, m, over which a rope, u, passes, extending at one end to the wind? lass I, and, passing through the center of the bar l, is attached toa life canorbasketyK, of any suitable construction, which may be carried in the recess formed by the frame-workof the section F. This section is also' provided with hooks n toattach it tothe windows or roof of a building. At the forward end of the platform `A is arranged awindlass, Il, on'each' side of the drivers seat, upon which. guyropes M, which are secured to the upper section E,`may be wound, and they are held in place by a ratchet and pawl, o. platform, and close to the lower part` of vthel section C. are secured twopieces,p p, forithe: reception of thebars q q, connectedtoacross-l plate, N, to which is secured a central` screw bar or shaft, O, extending through thelboX B' tothe rear end of the platform, and it is op-i erated by a hand-wheel,` t.,v As the: shaftlis. operated, it adjusts, by the barsqq, which pro"- trude more or less through thepieces p, the.` lower endsof the sections G, andthus incline them to a greater` or less degree. The prongs or rounds of the sections are arranged inin# clined manner, for easily ascending:` the' sec-- tions, even whenthey are in avertical-position;` The operation is as follows: Theapparatus:E having been placed in position, the crankhandle is then appliedto thel pinioneontlie lower section C, and` when the'secondsectionv D has arrived at its proper height, the-spring` lever or pawl h catches into lthe holeinlthevT rail b, the upper section F havingr been.' pre-i viously raisedby hand and placed in its hori-` zontal position, resting on the lower parts F thereof with itsbeveledlencl.y The crank-hanf `into its position.

Under the "stantiall'y as' shown and: specied.

and secured to their proper tautness, and

the whole apparatus is adjusted to its proper inclinationllbyth'e shaft l0, and it' desired, the trap-door opened and the lifefbasket brought Having thus' described my invention, I claimi 1. A lire-escape, having sections C D E, provided with* hooked?springleversr one their up- .per ends to engage and lock with apertures h' `in the Trails of the sections in succession, as

shown and described.

2. The sections Gl'DffEphaving rack-plates@ (Shinto: which-thepinions e c mesh, andfspringhookedflevers h, `the Trails, andeyesorfhooks rl n for they attachment. of,` chaines,` all substanti-ally as shown` and` specified.A

3.A The' combinatioul of the sections C D` t andthe upperlhingedlsection F, provided with aytrapdoor, H,.banl,jhooks n, withl thelife caror'basketlK, andmwindlass I,substantially as l shown andlspecied-.l

4- The combination of thel sections C, D,E,` and-F ofa.` fire-escape,with` chains.` Si and, k as shownl and described;

5. The combinatiolrof the sections() D E, with.` the.` adjusting device herein` described, consisting of a= shaft, O, haudwheel t,icross plateN, spring-'barsqq,andz pieces p p, sub- In testimony that I-claimfthe foregoing as` my ownl-I hereby affix' mysignature in presen'cevof two-witnesses.

AUGUST KINDERMANN- Witnesses:

W. R; BROWN, l A. S. TAYLOR: 

